Ambrosian

Just wanted to spread the news - at long last we have been able to go up to NZ House, London and lodge our paperwork. We have waited 4 long years for this moment, ever since our son and family emigrated in Jan 2004. Having done his 3 years as a resident he has now been able to sponsor us.

After being in what felt like limbo, everything is taking off. Have sold the house within 6 days of going on market (rather caught us on the hop) so now have to look for a rental to tide us over until we get our stickers.

We are keeping our fingers crossed that there will be no stumbling block to knock us back . From the time scales we have been given, looks as though it won't happen until about September but that is OK. Just in time for the better weather to welcome us to NZ. Darfield here we come.

To anybody else in our situation (60 year old retirees) just hang in there.

CCGM.IN.NZ

Good luck with the whole process. Bet you can't wait to see your family. Sounds like you have the hardest bit done anyway, selling your house. All the very best and I hope it all goes well for you

Nerine

Good luck, our friends' parents did the same a few years back and they've not looked back since settling in Torbay on the North Shore, they have a great lifestyle.

catt

Well done Ambrosian.........we have the house on the market had some offers but they havent sold theirs yet so it stays on the market. Will be first sold first to get ours, not into bidding wars just want the big red sold sign up.

Sorted out my early retirement package will be leaving work end August latest and have my medical booked for the 27th of this month and then it will be taking the paperwork down to NZ House in London to register. Hubby cant wait he is so looking forward to going home........me?....i cant wait either in fact i really am feeling very frustrated and its only been a total of 4 months since we made the decision to actually move, although we have been talking about it for the past 3 years. How you made it through the last 4 years i have no clue it would have driven me bonkers.........anyway all systems go for you good luck and maybe we will see you on the other side. Take care...

Tan0410

Congratulations...not long now....my Mother is already talking about selling her house and we haven't even landed in NZ yet

Paula2007

Good luck with your application. I assume you know that you have passed your medicals? We werewondering whether we should wait until we hear from New Zealand House in London that we have been granted PR before we put our house up for sale as someone mentioned to me that you don't know if you have passed your medical or not. I am in the same situation but it will be March 2009 before I apply as my son will have been a resident for 3 years then. Everyone seems to take there sponsorship forms to New Zealand house and that is a very long way from where we live in the North of England - is that because you don't trust the Royal Mail or private courier service - just wondered?

Ambrosian

Thank you everybody for your good wishes.

Catt ... I hope that things pick up speed for you and your OH and that you will soon be back in the land of his birth. We intend to settle in the Darfield region (about 40 mins from ChCh travelling west on the West Coast Road) to be near to our son. We have made 3 visits to NZ over the years - the last one for 3 months and know all the areas around ChCh very well. We even have our NZ driving licences! Where are you thinking of settling?

Paula ... No we don't know if we have passed the medicals yet. That part of the application will be looked at at the same time as the other bits. But from what we could tell from the medical results from the Clinic, we do not believe that there should be a problem, nothing that cannot be addressed, anyway.

With regard to selling the house. In view of the doom and gloom one reads in the news, we placed the house on the market believing that we should have to wait quite a few months to sell. We didn't want to still be 'unsold' when we received residency. You note we are being very positive saying 'when' not 'if'.

For our part, we are selling up whether we get residency or not. If not, we shall move somewhere else anyway. Maybe not stay in UK but look at Cyprus. After over 30 years in this house and sticking with the safe and steady jobs, we want to live a little. This will be our 'gap year'.

We took our paperwork up to NZI London because it was easy for us to do so. 40 mins on the train to Waterloo, and we wanted a desk officer to check through our paperwork there and then and to tell us 'everything seems in order' and we had some questions to ask. We also paid our application fee at that time and were able to check the timescales. Running at up to 3 months to be assigned a case officer and then could be 4-6 months thereafter. Hope it won't be that long and they are stating the worst scenario.

One point that I had not picked up (and I had been researching for what seemed like months!) although we produced our Marriage Certificate, the desk officer asked for proof that we had been living together for the past 12 months. I said "the last 12 months". "I have been living with him for over 40 years" The OH looked at me a bit odd - perhaps it was the tone I used?

Fortunately, had taken up bank statements and letter from estate agent addressed to us both. Hope that suffices, other than producing bank statements for the past 12 months, don't know how we can prove it? Seems a bit odd to me. I can understand the need if you are in a young relationship and entering under that category but not under the Parent category with 40 years behind you. Oh well, if that is a problem, will deal with it.

Don't have any knowledge re using a courier to get the paperwork delivered. When your time comes, why not make a long-weekend of it and spend some time seeing the London sights before you leave the UK? Just an idea. We also wanted our passports back as we may want to 'nip over the channel' once we get settled into a rental. The officer was quite happy to take copies. We intend to take some journeys around the UK, visiting some old haunts and seeing new ones before we emigrate.

Does anybody know if you can track your application on line? The officer was not too sure if we could in the category we are applying under.

Well, it is 4.00am UK time. Better get back to bed and see if I can sleep. Hopefully, will be exchanging contracts next week and then can get on with securing a rental and booking the shippers (PSS) - so that will be a couple of things to tick off the list.

Will post again, as and when.

Thank you again for your interest and best wishes.

Fingers, toes and eyes crossed in the meantime